Method and apparatus for stripping ingots



June l, 1937. G, A; DORNIN 2,082,571

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR `STRIPPING INGOTS original Filed Julymzfx; 19544 sheets-sheet `1 N iii- :g N 'E INVENTOR MDM S June 1, 1937. G, A.DQRNIN 2,082,571

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPlNG-INGOTS Original Filed July 24, 1934 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR lz J5 A. DW

June. l, 1937. G. A. DORNIN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRI PPING INGOTSOriginal Filed July 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 1, 1937. G. A. DoRNlNMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING INGOTS Original Filed July 24, 1934 4Sheets-Sheet 4 lNvENToR Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING INGOTS George A. Dornin,Baltimore, Md.

25 Claims.

This application is in part a continuation of my co-pending applicationSer. No. 713,667 filed March 2, 1984, for method and apparatus forstripping ingots, and in part a further development in apparatus of thetype therein disclosed. Asset forth therein, I have discovered thatimproved results in stripping ingots are obtained by lowering abig-end-up ingot mold along guideways afforded by a guideway structurein alinement with an obstruction which telescopes with an opening in thebottom of the mold to strip the ingot upon further lowering of the mold.The essential feature of the improved practice disclosed in said(zo-pending application above identified is the guiding of thebig-end-up ingot mold as it is moved downwardly in stripping the ingot;and the apparatus disclosed for practicing the improved procedureincludes a guideway structure having guides or channels for engaging themold and prevent tippingor skewing of the latter either oi itself or bythe raising and lowering mechanism.

The present application relates more particularly to a method ofstripping ingots and to the mold manipulating mechanism whereby the moldis raised and lowered relative to the abutment to strip the ingot. Ihave shown in the present application two forms of such mechanism, onebeing the form disclosed in said co-pending application and theotherbeing a further development of such mechanism which eliminates theguideway structure as a separate and distinct structure, the same beingin accordance with this embodiment of my invention built into the moldmanipulating mechanism. My broader claims are, therefore, directed tomold manipulating mechanism irrespective of Whether the same cooperateswith a guideway structure or is capable of functioning without theprovision of a separate and distinct guideway structure; while otherclaims are directed to the further development of my invention accordingto which the guideway structure is built into the mold manipulatingmechanism.

In the drawings which illustrate my invention,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of mold manipulating mechanismcooperating with a guideway structure, this mechanism being adapted toengage both the mold and the guideway structure simultaneously to effectvertical movement therebetween;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line II--II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a guide member or arm of the moldmanipulating mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a mold-engaging member which isvertically movable along guideways provided by the guide members or arm;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of mold manipulating mechanismembodying as part thereof a guideway structure for guiding a mold duringstripping, this mechanism being adapted to directly cooperate with amold stool or other support;

Fig. 6 is a face view in elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

The guideway structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are illustrative of howsuch a structure may be built to follow out the principles of myinvention. As is shown, vertical guideways extend upwardly from a baseplate for guiding the mold and restraining the same for tilting out ofproper alignment with the stripping pin during lowering of the mold tostrip the ingot. The base plate or stool 9 mounts a plurality ofsegments I 0 which are pivoted thereto by pins II (see Fig. 2). Pins I2limit swinging of the segments I0 about the pivot II in oppositedirections.l One end of the segment carries a block I3 and the other endcarries a stripper pin I4. In accordance with this embodiment of myinvention, vertical guideways are provided which cooperate with lugs I5aand Ib on the big-end-up ingot mold I6. A suitable guideway structure isprovided by parallel vertical elements leaving between the same verticalchannels for cooperating with the lugs I5, I 5a, and I5b on the mold I6.In the embodiment shown, these vertical elements are the guide posts I8and I9 whose opposed faces engage the lateral faces of the lugs I5, I5a,and I 5b, while the inturned faces of the guide posts I8 and I 9 engageguide surfaces on the mold itself.

In order to provide a strong and rigid structure, a longitudinal brace20 connects the series of guide posts I 8 and I9, and transverse braces2I connect the lonigtudinal braces 20. The structure may be furtherbraced by corner plates welded in place in a manner which will beclearly understood without illustration. The longitudinal braces areadapted to constitute guides or tracks for the lower portions of theguide members or arms of the mold manipulating mechanism, as will bebetter understood after a full description of the latter mechanism.

Generally, the guideway structure should be wheel-mounted so that whenthe ingots have been pushed up in the ingot molds, the same may betransported in the guideway structure to some other part of the plantsuch as the soaking pit. In order to simplify illustration, no wheelshave been shown supporting the mold stools or base plates which carrythe molds; but it will be understood that usualy these supports will bewheelmounted, the structures being formed as an integral part of a carstructure if so desired.

In its broadest aspect my invention is not concerned with the pouring ofthe ingots, as a guideway structure with cooperating abutment orabutments may be used in cooperative relation With suitable moldmanipulating mechanism to perform the necessary stripping operation onbig-end-up ingots which have been poured according to the customarypractice. It may, however, be of advantage to strip the ingots withoutthe necessity for transporting the molds to the guideway structure andinsertingy them therein.

With the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a big-end-up ingotmold may be positioned in the guideway structure with its bottom endresting on the block 13. With the usual. refractory plug 23 inserted inthe customary opening 24 in the bottom of the mold, the ingot is pouredand allowed to cool sufficiently to give the ingot the necessaryskinstrength for stripping. The mold manipulating mechanism is thenengaged with the mold flange to vraise the mold suficiently to clear thestripping pin i4. The segment lil is then swung to bring the pin I4 intoalignment with the opening 24 when the mold l5 may be lowered to causethe pin I4 toI enter the opening 24. Generally, this will effect thestripping of the ingots without the necessity for the applicatio-n ofany additional weight beyond the mass of the mold I6 itself. In a fewinstances, however, the ingot may stick in the mold, and in such casethe mold manipulating mechanism may be operated, as will be apparentfrom the ensuing description, to force the mold downwardly and completethe stripping of the ingot 25.

Mold manipulating mechanism adapted to cooperate with a guidewaystructure is shown in end elevation in Fig. 1 and in greater detail inFigs. 2, 3, and 4. This mechanism includes a top beam or cross beam 30constituting a cross head slide for the guide members or arms 32. Thetop beam 30 may be made from simple rolled shapes and plates, or may bemade as one integral casting. Its elements, as shown in Fig. l, includetop and side plates 33 and 34. The side plates 34 terminate in inturnedflanges 35 which complete the slides for the cross heads 31. As thesecross heads 31 suspend the guide members or arms 32, the cross headsslide inwardly and outwardly with the guide members or arms whenthe-latter are to be .engaged with the guideway structure and/ or amold.

A transverse web- 38 reinforces the cross beam 30 at its centralportion. Trunnions 39 extend laterally from the top beam so as to bereadily engaged by the hooks of a crane. If desired, there may beprovided in addition a lifting eye 40 on top of the beam, as shown inFig. 2.

The guide members or arms 32 are constructed with two vertical beams 42connected at the top by a transverse web 43 and connected at the bottomby a transverse -engaging member or toe 44 `for engaging under the guideor track 29. The beams 42 are cut out above the engaging member or toe44 to provide seats or recesses 46 for receiving the guide or track 2D.Below this seat there is the toe 44, and above this seat or recess thereis a heel 41 on each beam 42 which may rest on top of the guide ortrack, herein the longitudinal brace 20.

The guide members or arms 32 provide guides 48 which in the embodimentshown extend inwardly from the beams 42. Along the opposed guides thusprovided, the mold engaging member 50 slides vertically. A screw 5l forraising and lowering the member 50 is threaded through a nut 52 which isrotatably mounted on a sliding support 54 on top of the cross beam 3Q.The periphery of the nut 52 is formed as ci Worm wheel meshing with thethreads on a worm 55. The nut 52 is rotatably mounted betweenanti-friction bearings 56 carried by upper and lower housings 51 and 58.These housings are secured to the support 54 which is slidable on rails59 and 60 as illustrated in Fig. l. The flanges of the Support 54 areinturned, as indicated at 62, to prevent lifting of the slidable supportwhen they nut 52 is rotated to force the screw 5I and mold ene gagingmember 50 downwardly. The guide member or arm, mold engaging member,screw and nut, and the mechanism for rotating the nut will be duplicatedon the other side of the cross beam, and the two worms 55 may be drivenindividually, each by its own motor be connected by a cross shaftslidably connected as by a spline to the second set of driving gear 54for rotating the seco-nd worm 55.

The manner in which a mold may be raised and lowered in a guidewaystructure either to lift or to lower the same is now clearly apparent.The motors 63 when driven in one direction operate through the screws ilto pull the toes Gti of the mold engaging members 50 upwardly beneaththe ange 61 adjacent the top of the ingot mold it. When the motors G3are driven in the opposite direction the mold engaging members 5U arepushed downwardly causing the heels 68 which overlie the anges B1 toforce the mold I6 downwardly. The heel 68 extends inwardly a substantialdistance beyond the toe 66 making it somewhat easier to seat the moldengaging members 50 on the mold, as will be later explained more indetail. The guide members or arms 32 in engaging a guideway structureand/or a mold are simultaneously moved towards each other; and infreeing the guide members or arms the same are simultaneously separatedfrom each other, the cross heads 31 sliding inwardly or outwardly in theslides provided in the top beam 38. To eiect such separation or inwardmovement of the guide members 32 I rotatably mount a screw-threadedcross shaft 10 in a bearing provided by a bracket 1l. Collars 12, one toeither side of the bracket 1i, prevent transverse movement of the screw10. Nuts 13 carried by the guide members 32 cooperate with the screw 'Hlso that when the latter is rotated the guide members 32 aresimultaneously moved inwardly or simultaneously moved outwardly inaccordance with direction of rotation of the shaft 10, one nut being arighthand nut and the other nut being a left-hand nut. A motor 15mounted on the side of the top beam 30 is connected by suitable gearing,for instance the worm gearing shown, xed to the screw 'Eil to rotate thesame in either of opposite directions.

A number of advantages flow from the construction described. The heel 68extends inwardly far enough so that the mold manipulating mechanism maybe lowered over a guideway structure until the heels 68 engage the topsof the flanges 61 of the mold. After the operator has become skilled inthe operation of the mechanism, he can preliminarily move the screws 5Ito proper position to cause the recess 46 to register with the guide ortrack 29. The screw 1B may then be rotated to bring the guide members3.2 inwardly and engage the seats or recesses 45 with the guides ortracks 2B. At the same time, the toes 66 engage under the flanges 61 ofthe mold. The mold manipulating mechanism is thus connected both to themold and to the guideway structure; and the mold may be posi- 63; or asingle motor may A tively moved vertically either upwardly or downwardlyas above referred to.

A further important advantage of the construction shown is that havingonce engage-d the guides or tracks 29 in the seats or recesses 46, themold manipulating mechanism may be moved along the guideway structure toengage each of a series of molds successively and strip an entire carload in a short space of time. Since the operator is called upon toposition the manipulating mechanism with respect to the longitudinalguide or track 26 and the flanges of the molds but once for each car, itis obvious that the operation of stripping is considerably simplified. i

The construction shown is lighter than would be possible with ordinarytypes of stripping cranes, and is considerably less costly; becauseduring stripping the weight of the `mold manipulating mechanism and ofthe mold itself, including the vingot, are borne by the longitudinalguides or tracks through contact between the heel portion 41 and thetops of the guides or rails. If the mold sticks, the screws 5| come intoplay to positively force the mold downwardly; and if necessary thetransverse engaging members or heels 44 can be drawn up against thebottoms of the tracks 40, herein the braces of the guideway structure.

As a further development of mechanism for manipulating molds instripping, I provide mechanism adapted to raise and lower the moldrelative to a lstripping pin, this mechanism having as a part thereofguideways for restraining the mold from tilting during this operation.As illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and '7, this form of mold manipulatingmechanism cooperates directly with a mold stool 80, or other suitablesupport for a mold. As is apparent from Figs. 5 and 6, the greater partof this form of mold manipulating mechanism is identical with the formillustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4. The top beam carries the slidablesupports 54 on which are mounted the motors 63 driving through thegearing 64 the worm wheels 52 whose function is to bring about raisingand lowering of the mold engaging members 50. In this embodiment, themotor 15 is shown mounted on a bracket 82 and drives through reductiongearing 83 the cross shaft 16, thus eiecting simultaneous inwardmovement of the supports 54 and cross heads 3T or simultaneous outwardmovement thereof should the motors be reversed.

Guide members or arms 85 extend downwardly from the cross heads 31.These guide members or arms are constructed with two vertical beams 86connected at the top by a transverse web 87 and connected at the bottomby a transverse engaging member 88 for interlocking with a track, arail, or the edge of a support. The beams 86 are cut out above theengaging member `88 rto provide seats or recesses 89 for receiving thetrack, rail or the like. The top of this seat or recess provides a heelportion 99 permitting each beam 86 to rest on top of the track or theedge of the support. The transverse engaging member 88 constitutes a toefor hooking under and interengaging with the longitudinal track or thelike.

The portions of the beams 86 which face each other are projected towardeach other to provide opposed guides 92 guiding the mold engagingmembers for vertical movement as they are raised and lowered by thescrews 5| The guide members or arms 85 are, of course, considerablylonger than the guide members or arms 32 of the rst embodiment, sincethey must extend substantially to the bottom of a mold; but it is notnecessary that the screws 5|' be any longer than in that embodiment,although it may in certain cases extend the usefulness of the mechanismto provide longer lifting screws 5I and thereby extend the travel of themold engaging members 50.

The guide members or arms 85 are likewise constructed to` provideguides`94 for the mold lugs |5, |5a and |5b. These guides 94 are on theinner faces of the guide members or arms 85 and may, as shown in Fig. 7,be bars or like rolled pieces'welded to these faces. These guidescorrespond in function to theguide posts i8 and |9 of the guidewaystructure shown in Fig. 1; but it will be noted that here they are builtinto the mold manipulating mechanism.

In stripping a mold with this form of apparatus, the mold engagingmembers 50 are engaged with the flange 61 of a mold, as with the otherembodiment; and the motors 63 rotated inthe proper direction for raisingor lowering the mold I6. With this embodiment, as with the rst describedembodiment, it is possible to raise or lower the mold and even to forcethe mold down along the guides 94.

The mold stool or other support 88 preferably has its edges 96 formed astracks or rails adapted to engage in the recesses 89. This provides aninterengagement between the guide members or arms 85 and the mold stoolor support 88. Accordingly, if a mold should stick in stripping, thescrews 5|fV may be operated to force a mold I6 downwardly even to theextent of pulling the arms 85 upwardly to engage the toes 88 beneath thetracks 96, thus transmitting upward thrust to the stool or support 80and partially offset the downwardly directed force incident to thestripping operation. 'This makes it possible to lighten the load placedupon the supporting structure, which as above mentioned will generallybe a wheel mounted structure.

The support 88 is shown in Figs. 5 and '7 as provided with devices forpermitting the mold to be rst poured while resting on the support 88 andthen stripped without the necessity for transporting it to anothersupport. A slide 98 is reciprocable between abutments 99 and |80, theseabutments providing supports for diagonally opposite corners of themoldI6. Ribs |0| extend upwardly from the support or stool one to eitherside of the slide 98 for guiding it in its reciprocations. These ribs|8| provide further support for the mold I6. A block |93 on one end ofthe slide 98 cooperates with the bottom of the mold I6 during pouring;and for the stripping operation the slide is moved to the other end ofits travel to bring the stripping pin |64 into registry with the openingin the bottom of the mold. The operation of this second embodiment of myinvention will be obvious in view of the description of the operation ofthe first embodiment.

In `certain instances, it may be found advantageous to simplify theconstruction of the mold support, eliminating the guideway structurefrom this support and building such structure into the mold manipulatingmechanism itself. 'I'he mold will be not only supported but also guidedby the mold manipulating mechanism so that the mold is prevented fromtilting or skewing while it is being manipulated. After the strippingoperation the support 86 may be wheeled away toi-the Cil soaking pit,leaving the mold manipulating mechanism behind for further strippingoperations to take care of more molds as ingot pouring proceeds.

While I have illustrated and described certain embodiments which myinvention may assume, it will be understood that my invention is notrestricted to the particular constructions and arrangements shown butmay be variously modified and embodied or practiced within thecontemplation yof the invention and under the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool provided withan abutment for projecting into an opening in the bottom of the ingotmold, and mold manipulating mechanism cooperating with said stool andmovable relative thereto, said mechanism including structure for guidingan ingot mold in a predetermined vertical path relative to and inalinement with the abutmentl while the mold is telescoping therewith,and means engageable with the mold for raising and lowering the moldrelative to the guiding structure and the abutment on the stool.

v2. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool, an abutmentmounted on the stool for projecting into an opening in the bottom of theingot mold, and mold manipulating mechanism cooperating with said stooland including structure having guides for lugs on an ingot mold tomaintain the mold in alinement with said abutment and means for raisingand lowering the mold relative to said structure and the abutment, saidstructure and the stool having portions adapted to interengage to takethrust during the stripping operation.

3. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool having anabutment for projecting into an opening in the bottom of an ingot mold,a guideway structure, said stool and structure having cooperatingportions for guiding said structure longitudinally of the stool, andmeans for raising and lowering the mold relative to i. said structure,said structure providing a guideway for maintaining an ingot mold inalinement with said abutment during lowering of the mold to strip itsingot.

4. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool having anabutment for projecting into an opening in the bottom of an ingot mold,and mold manipulating mechanism having arms engageable with the stooland movable relative thereto, and means for raising and lowering aningot mold relative to said arms, the latter providing guidescooperating with the mold to maintain the mold in alinement with saidabutment during lowering of the mold.

5. App-aratus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool having anabutment for Aprojecting into an opening in the bottom of an ingot mold,and mold manipulating mechanism having arms cooperating with a mold toguide the mold during the lowering of the mold when stripping, and

7 means cr raising and lowering the mold relative to said arms, thelatter affording guides enageable by lugs on the mold to maintain themold in alinement with said abutment during lowering of the mold.

6. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool having anabutment for projecting into an opening in the bottom of an ingot mold,and mold manipulating mechanism having guide members movable along theedges of the stool and engageable therewith to guide the guide membersalong the stool, and means for raising and lowering the mold relative tosaid guide members, the members aiording channels engageable by lugs onthe mold to maintain the mold in alinement with said abutment duringlowering of the mold.

'7. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a mold stool having anabutment for projecting into anV opening in the bottom of an ingot mold,and mold manipulating mechanism having guide members providing channelsengageable by lugs on the mold to maintain the mold in alinement withsaid abutment during lowering of the mold, and means for raising andlowering the mold relative to said members.

8. Mold manipulating mechanism comprising a cross-head slide, guidemembers having crossheads, said cross-heads being slidable horizontallyin said slide, said guide members providing vertical guideways, moldengaging members vertically movable along the guideways provided by saidguide members, and means for raising and lowering said mold engagingmembers relative to said guide members.

9. Mold manipulating mechanism comprising a cross-head slide, a pair ofguide members having cross-heads, said cross-heads being slidablehorizontally in said slide, means for sliding said guide memberssimultaneously inwardly and simultaneously outwardly, said guide membersproviding vertical guideways, a pair of mold engaging members verticallymovable along the guideways provided by said guide members, and meansfor raising and lowering said mold engaging members relative to saidguide members.

10. In apparatus for stripping ingots, the combination of a cross beam,a pair of guide members carried thereby and slidable thereon toward andfrom each other, said guide members providing vertical guides, moldengaging members vertically movable along the guides provided by saidguide. members, and power operated means movable toward and away fromeach other with said guide members for raising and lowering said moldengaging members.

ll. Apparatus for stripping ingots from molds which are elongatevertically comprising an abutment adapted to project into an opening inthe bottom of the ingot mold, a guideway structure for guiding the ingotmold in alinement with said abutment and preventing swaying or tiltingof the mold while in operative relation to the abutment, and meansassociated with said structure and engageable with the mold for raisingand lowering the mold along the guides provided by said guidewaystructure so as to telescope with said abutment.

l2. Apparatus for stripping ingots from molds which are elongatevertically comprising an abutment adapted to project into an opening inthe bottom of the ingot mold, a guideway structure affording lateralcontact with the elongate mold during up and down movement thereof bothfor preventing tilting of the axis of the mold and for guiding the lowerportion thereof in alinement with said abutment, and means maintained infixed relation to said structure during stripping for raising andlowering the mold along the guideway provided by said structure so as totelescope with said abutment.

13. Mold manipulating mechanism comprising guide members having verticalguideways, mold engaging members movable vertically along saidguideways, means for carrying said guide members and moving themsimultaneously toward each other and simultaneously from each other, andmeans for raising and lowering the mold engaging members along saidguideways relative to the guide members.

14. Mold manipulating mechanism comprising guide members, mold engagingmembers guided vertically by said guide members, means for carrying saidguide members and moving them simultaneously toward each other andsimultaneously from each other, and means for raising and lowering themold engaging members relative to the guide members, said guide membershaving guideways for the mold for the purpose of determining its pathduring raising and lowering.

15. Apparatus forstripping ingots comprising an abutment adapted toproject into an opening in the bottom of an ingot mold, a guidewaystructure cooperating with the mold during up and down movement thereoffor preventing sway of the upper portion of the mold and for guiding thelower portion thereof in alinement with said abutment, and moldmanipulating mechanism4 comprising guide members, mold engaging membersguided vertically by said guide members, means for carrying said guidemembers, and means for raising and lowering the mold engaging membersrelative to the guide members.

16. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a guideway structure forguiding a mold in a predetermined vertical path and preventing tiltingof the mold during movement along the path, an abutment cooperating withsaid structure for entering the mold to prevent downward movement of thecontained ingot as the mold is lowered, and mold manipulating mechanismoperable to move the mold in said predetermined vertical path relativeto said structure, the latter providing an upwardly directed surfaceupon which the mold manipulating mechanism may rest and cooperating withsaid mechanism for positioning the same relative to the mold.

17. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a structure providingvertical channels, an ingot mold carrying guides for cooperating withsaid channels and having an opening in the bottom of said mold, astripping pin, guides cooperating therewith to guide the same in apredetermined path to operative and inoperative positions, and means forvertically moving the mold relative to said structure.

18. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a guideway structure forguiding a plurality of molds in predetermined vertical paths, meanscooperating with said structure for entering the molds to preventdownward movement of the contained ingot, and mold manipulatingmechanism engageable both with said structure and with said molds, saidstructure providing guides for guiding said mold manipulating mechanismfor horizontal movement to permit positioning thereof in cooperativerelation with a selected mold, said mechanism being operable in suchrelation to move the mold in said predetermined vertical path relativeto said structure.

19. In apparatus for stripping big-end-up ingots from molds, a guidewaystructure to confine the movement of the mold to vertical movement onlywhile in the guideway structure, a blocking member for stopping thedownward movement of the ingot at a predetermined point, means formoving the blocking member into positive coaxial relationship with theingot, and mold manipulating mechanism engageable with a mold to causevertical movement of the mold within the guideway structure, saidmechanism having rests engageable with said guideway structure forsupporting said mechanism thereon.

20. In apparatus for stripping big-end-up ingots from molds, thecombination of a guideway structure adapted to guide a mold and permitvertical movement thereof while restraining skewing or tilting of theupper portion of the mold, a stripping pin cooperating with the guidewaystructure and alined with the path of movement of the mold bottom, andmechanism connectable simultaneously to the mold and to the guidewaystructure to lift, lower and force the mold downwardly relative to theguideway structure and stripping pin, said structure providing a portionfor positioning said mechanism and for receiving downward thrusttherefrom.

21. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a stripping pin, moldmanipulating mechanism for raising and lowering a mold relative to saidpin, and a guideway structure for guiding a mold in alinement with saidpin, said mechanism being so engageable with said structure that thelatter supports said mechanism in part at least.

22. In a method of stripping ingots the steps consisting of pouringmolten metal into a bigend-up ingot mold, sliding the mold with itscontained ingot upwardly in a. guideway structure, positioning anabutment beneath the mold, and sliding the mold downwardly in theguideway structure to strip the ingot from the mold by engagement of theingot by said abutment.

23. The method of stripping big-end-up ingots by engaging the mold invertical guideways and thereby confining the mold to vertical movementalong a predetermined path only, moving mold and contained ingotvertically upward along the guideways, blocking the ingot againstdownward movement, and then eiecting similarly guided verticallydownward movement of mold.

24. In the method of stripping big-end-up ingots the steps ofrestricting by a guideway structure the movement of the mold and itscontained ingot to vertical movement along a predetermined path,then'moving the mold and its contained ingot vertically upward alongsaid path, then positioning a blocking member under the ingot in coaxialalinement therewith, and then lowering the mold guided solely by theguideway structure.

25. Apparatus for stripping ingots comprising a structure providingvertical guideways for the mold to be separated from its ingot, and amovable abutment provided with guides for guiding the abutment to andfrom operative position beneath the mold in registry with an opening inthe mold, said abutment being adapted when in operative position toenter said opening in the mold during downward movement of the mold forthe purpose of separating the ingot from the mold.

GEORGE A. DORNIN.

